And the Little Children Shall Lead Them

I know that everyone who reads this entry will not agree with the situation which I describe today. But for the sake of the blog, will you please look past doctrine to the lesson itself? It’s too precious to miss.

We celebrated the Lord’s Supper at church this past Sunday. It’s always a special time as we remember the death and resurrection of Christ and all that was accomplished there on the cross at Calvary. In and of itself, it was and is and always will be enough. But the receiving of the elements took on a little more meaning for me this week as I watched the children come forward to partake. Our children have their own worship service, but on this particular Sunday, they come in to “big people church” when it’s time to receive communion – their parents meeting them in the back to come forward.

The scene is undoubtedly one of the most precious sights to see. Four of our elders stand down front with the elements as the congregation makes its way forward to partake of communion by intinction. We cup our hands as one elder places a piece of bread in it, and then we take the bread and dip it into the juice which another elder is offering. I noticed a difference, however, from the way the adults would approach “the table” versus the way the children came. Adults waited until they were just about to receive the element to cup their hands while the children kept their hands cupped the entire time they were waiting in line. How precious to see the anticipation in those young things as they approached the front.

One might see a numerous things while watching. On one occasion, I thought a little fellow’s bread was actually going to dissolve in the juice as he left it “soaking” so long. Another child got all into the receiving and dipping, but when it came time to actually put the piece in her mouth, she decided it was better if grandmother ate it. To see mothers and fathers teaching and instructing their little ones, blessed my heart. But what struck me the most was when my little nephew approached the front.

One of my brothers was holding the cup, and I had been watching his 4-yr. old son Harper come down the line with his mother – with his hands cupped, of course. Harper is a ball of fire and doesn’t lose a beat anywhere he goes. He exudes life. And Sunday was no different. After receiving the bread, he took a step to where my brother was standing holding “the cup.” And looking straight up into the eyes of his father, a huge grin came over his face, and he exclaimed, “Hi, Daddy!”

And we think children don’t have a clue!

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).